Apparatus for manufacturing varicolored tile



R. S. BOLTON July 16, 1935.

APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING VARI-COLORED TILE 5 Sheets-Shae Filed Nov11, 1933 ewa; 6015571" July 16, 1935. R, s, BOLTON 2,007,961

APPARATUS'FOR MANUFACTURING VARI-COLORED TILE Filed NOV. 11, 1933 3Sheets-Shqet 2 1 J8 MI" WWW" July '16, 1935. R s, BOLTON 2,007,961

APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING VARI-COLORED TILE Filed Nov. 11, 1953 3Sheets-Sheet 3 c c c 57 5,2 53 c Ll l i iill W '74 eaqmi z ozzzmPatented July 16, 1935 APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING VARI- COLORED TILERalph S. Bolton,Miami Beach, Fla. ApplicationNovember 11, 1933, SerialNo, 697,659

20 Claims.

The present invention relates to a new and. improved process andapparatus for making and applying vari-colored designs to tiles andother similar articles.

Heretofore in designing tiles and other similar ornamental surfaces,it-has been customary to form from a stencil or templet theparticulardesign to be embodied in the tile. Consequently, thesestencils can only be used for forming one 1.0 design or pattern. i

One of the important features of the present invention is to provide acollector grid which is constructed and so associated with the measuringand guiding grids of a tile shaping apparatus, that the grids may beused for forming an indefinite number of colored designs.

A further object consists in providing a new improved method of formingan ornamental tile.

Another object consists in providingan apparatus for making anornamental tile, in which movable means are provided for retaining theindividual tiles properly in position during the molding operation.

A still further object is to provide in a color measuring and collectingdevice having superposed removable grids, means for insuring.difierently colored material being delivered uniformly to the cells inwhich they are intendedito be deposited.

Another cbjectgconsists in an improved photo- .ongraving process formaking plates having a large number of very ,small openings, whichplates may be successively associated with the collector grid for makinga vari-colored tile design, or may be associated with the measuring andguide grids for blockingkout such cells as are to be closed in orderthat the remaining opened cells will be outlined to form the particularcolor design to be produced.

*Other' objects and advantages of the invention willbecome apparent fromthe following description when taken in conjunction with theaccompanying claims and drawin s.

. In the drawings, in which-are disclosed sev- .eral preferredembodiments of the invention,

Figure l is a sectional view showing the col" lector grid, intermediategrid and measuring grid in their assembled positions. l Figure 2 is aview showing the grids removed and the separate sections of the tilesenclosed within the mold frame. i

Figure .3 is a plan view of a tile'made in ,ac- .cordance with thepresent invention;

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along theline 4-41 of Figure .3.

Figure 5 is a sectional exploded view of the grids shown in Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a sectional view of an apparatus for pressing the separatesections of the tile to,- gether when the collector grid is withdrawnand the mold frame substituted therefor.

Figure 7 is a sectional view of the pressure apparatus shown in Figure6, employed for applying a cement backing tothe tiles.

Figure 3 is a sectional view of an apparatus that may be associated withthe movable CO1." lector grid and supporting base for raising the gridrelative to the base and moving the mold frame into position.Additionally the apparatus shows means for withdrawing material that mayadhere to the cells of the grid when the latteris raised. 1 l

Figure 9 Ba view of an apparatus similar'qto Figure 8,.but showing thesame associated with a press'i'or compressing the material and forapplying a backing to the tile. Figure 10 is a plan view partly insection of a modified form of the invention. p

t Figure 11 is a sectional view of the apparatus shown in Figure 10.

Figure 12 is .a plan view of a tile forrned with the grid embeddedtherein.

Referring to the drawings, in which like numerals indicate like parts inthe severalviews, l0 designates a smoothbase or plate whichis arrangedto receive a removable collector grid j I having a frame 42 provided onthe underside thereof with straps l3 that may be adjustably SC? cured tothe frame by the screws M which extend through elongated slots 9 in thestraps vl3 so as to receive the nuts .9. When the grid I is positionedonthe base it the inner sides of the straps .13 engage adjacent sides ofthe basesoas to .fixedly maintain the parts in position, and due to theadjustable connection of the straps 13 with the frame, the former maymove into close engagement with the adjacent sides of the plate 2H3 soas to take up wear between these parts and insure the proper positioningof the grid on the base. An intermediate guide grid 1H1 is arranged tobe superposed on the grid ll and has a marginal frame I5 havingadepending strap, l5 secured to the underside thereof by the threadedbolts H and or a Width to fit w th n a omp :m nt rv sh uld re po i n 8formed in he 1 per surface of the frame 12. Positioned above theintermediate grid is the measuring grid 1! 9 having a frame 2-0 to whichis secured to th underside PATENT OFFICE thereof, a marginal strap 2|arranged to fit on a complementary formed portion in the upper surfaceof the frame 15 when the grids are assembled in superposed relation, asclearly shown in Figure 1. The grids are preferably made of light metaland instead of having separate straps or retaining members secured tothe underside of the frame of each grid, these straps may be in the formof integral depending flanges so as to provide a positive means formaintaining the grids in position when placed one upon the other.

The cells 22 of the collector grid are preferably formed by thintransverse and longitudinal partition members 23 (Figure into a seriesof very small cells or openings of uniform size and shape, which for thepurpose of illustration, have been enlarged and greatly magnified in thedrawings. In order to fully appreciate how small these cells are, itmight be mentioned that in forming a tile of eight inches square, thecollector grid will have approximately 16,324 cells or holes 22, thuspermitting various attractive and artistic designs of different colorsand configurations being employed for making up the ornamental tiles.

Positioned between the measuring grid i9 and the intermediate guide grid14 is a slide 25 (Figure 1) for controlling the delivery of thedifferent colored material from the measuring grid to the collectorgrid. The inward movement of the slide 25 is limited by the strap 2|.The cells of the measuring grid l9 and the guide grid M are equal innumber to the cells of the collector grid I and are each arranged to bepositioned in vertical alignment with the adjacent cell of the collectorgrid when the parts are assembled as shown in Figure l. The cells of thecollector grid receive the differently colored materials whichconstitute the design of the tile and in order that the various colorsmay be selectively and sequentially deposited in their respective cells,the measurin'g grid 19 and the guide grid I4 have certain of their cellsblocked out by removable plugs 26 and 2! (Figure 5) so that theremaining cells are opened in order that the various colors which thedesign tile is to assume, may be delivered to their corresponding cellsin the collector grid.

Each of the cells 22 of the collector grid is of the same capacity asits aligned complementary cell 28 in the measuring grid i9 while theWidth of the intermediate grid cells 29 (Figure 1) are preferably widerthan the cells 28 and slightly narrower than the cells 22 in order toinsure the material in the cells 28 being deposited in the cells 22without engaging or adhering to the walls of the intermediate cells 29.The cells of the guide grid are blocked out similarly to the blocked outcells of the measuring grid with which they are associated so as topreclude the possibility of any of the colored material that mightcollect or adhere to the slide 25 from being moved therewith and fallinginto a cell that is intended to receive a differently colored material.It will be seen that by reason of blocking out the intermediate cells,should any material be carried by the slide 25, this material can emptyonly into one of the cells which is arranged to receive this particularcolored material.

While the cells of the grids have been shown of substantially squareshape, it will be manifest that they may be circular and assume variousother shapes and configurations as may be found desirable. It will alsobe understood that the term tile as employed in the specification andclaims is intended to include tiles and other ornamental articles ofsimilar character which may be made of cement, clay, pulverized pulp,glass, rubber, cork, metals and other reduced or comminuted materials inpowdered or plastic form. The depth of the collector grid cells 22 aresuch that when the tile is formed, its exposed ornamental surface issufficiently thick as to be capable of withstanding the abrasive actionto which articles of this kind are subjected. In other Words, thedifferent colors constituting the particular tile design are retained invertical alignment so that when the tile wears down, these differentcolors will not be distorted.

At this point it might be well to describe the steps for forming acement tile with different colored designs in accordance with thepresent invention. Assuming that it is desired to make a tile 36) of theparticular design as outlined in Figure 3 and that the design of thecorner portions 3| 32 and 33 are to be colored green, the diagonalportion 34 brown and the remaining portion 35 red, so that the compositetile will have the configuration as shown. Certain of the aligned cellsof the measuring and guide grids will first be blocked out by the plugs26 and 2'! so that the opened cells will be of such a configuration asto form the corner designs 3|, 32 and 33. The measuring and collectinggrids are then placed in superposed relation on the collector grid ll sothat the cells in this grid will register with the complementary cellsin the intermediate and measuring grids. Green colored cement in dry,wet or plastic condition is then introduced into the open cells of themeasuring grid so as to completely fill the same and after the topsurface is levelled oil, the slide 25, which previously has been movedto its closed position, is moved outwardly so as to cause the materialin the cells of the measuring grid to be deposited uniformly into thecomplementary cells of the collector grid. The measuring and guide gridsare then removed, and another set of these grids which have had theircells previously blocked out so as to form the designs 34 with theiropened cells, are then placed on the collector grid, and brown cement isintroduced into the open cells of the measuring grid and then depositedinto their respective cells in the collector grid upon the actuation ofthe slide 25, This set of grids is then removed from the collector gridand another set which has had certain of its cells blocked out so thattheir opened cells will form the design are then positioned on thecollector grid and red cement introduced into the openings in themeasuring grid until they are filled. The slide 25 then deposits thiscement into their respective cells in the collector grid. The cells ofthe collector grid will then be uniformly filled with the differentlycolored cement arranged to form the tile design shown in Figure 3.Manifestly, the measuring and guide grids may be successively blockedout in an indefinite number of ways to form variegated colored tiles orthe like. Moreover, instead of forming the tile of cement, the same bemade of any other suitable material, such as clay, pulverized pulp,glass, rubber, cork and the like. In depositing the final coloredmaterial the intermediate grid may be dispensed with since all of theother cells of the collector grid have been filled and there is nodanger of the material being conducted to a cell for which it is notintended.

The collector grid II is then moved upwardly and away from the materialto form the separate colored sections 36 (Figure 2), by any suitablemeans, and a molding frame 31 is substituted i the tile .35.

therefor, which frame constitutes the sides of the moldwith the platedownwardly from the mold frame 31 so as to insure the parts beingmaintained firmly in a fixed position during the pressing operation. .A

. plunger 52 having a head 43 of substantially the same size and shapeas theinterior of the mold frame 37, is arranged to be reciprocablyactuated by any suitable means, not shown, so as to cause the head 4L3upon downward movement to compress the. sections 3% together into anhomogene- (Figure '7) may be then introduced into the mold to form abacking for the tile. The dry cement may be of. any desired thicknessrelative to the thickness of the tile. The layers. of material thusformed. are then subjected to further pressure by the head 43 whichcauses the moisture in the colored body to travel upwardly throughthedry cement to permeate the same and form a substantially plastic orwetted body which is shaped into the desired colored configuration ofUpon the withdrawal of the head t3, the tile, which is in its final andcomplete form, is removed from the moldand allowed to dry or harden.

It will be noted that during the pressing operation, the exposed orornamental surface of the tie engages the base l so that danger ofmarring the colored body of the design during the several operations ispositively precluded. While the oementbacking may be omitted, it hasbeen found that a better tileis formed when it is used.

While I have, for illustrative: purposes, shown a cement, backing, itwill be obvious that any other suitable material. may be used, dependingupon the composition of thecolored surface, such as f clay,pulverizedpulp, glass, rubber, cork, asbestos,

" the collectorgrid l2.

and the like; i

In Figure Bis shown an apparatus for me-. chanicaly removing thecollector grid from the material and substituting a side mold frame i.therefor. This apparatus essentially comprises a bed it on which. ismounted a plate it by the bolts 3?. A stand 18. supportsthe plate ormold bottom it which carries the color material and Confined betweenopposite sides of the stand 28 and guide bars ill, there is positioned amovable mold frame till. Secured to the. underside of the mold frame 555are the arms or rods which extend through aligned openings in the bed 45and plate 56 and have their lower ends 'yieldably connected to a crossIf! forming the bottom. While the collector grid ll may be .manuallywithdrawn from the material and the mold frame tions.

the colored material and has itslower portionengaging the marginal edgeof the grid [2. Air under pressure is introduced into the chamber 6|,thus formed, by a flexible pipe 62 and is distributed through thechamber by the baffle 68. As shown, the grid l2 is about to be engagedby the movable mold 58 so as to be raised; upwardly and allow thesections of colored material to be enclosed within the mold frame. Asthe grid I2 is moved away from the colored body, air is conducted to-thechamber 6f through the pipe 62 so as to dislodge any particles of thecolored material that might adhere to the cells of the grid and depositthese particles on their proper sec- The hood 6!) and its associatedparts are then withdrawn and the head 64 of the plunger is positioned tocompress and force the colored sections together into a homogeneousbody. Instead of employing air under pressure to remove the particles ofmaterial from the grid, a suitable vibratory mechanism may be used foreffecting the same result.

Prior to the pressing operatiomthe mold frame 5! has been raised by theactuation of the shaft 55 and cams 59 to constitute'the sides of themold. In order that the mold frame 59 will be capable .of resisting thelateral pressure of the material,

there is preferably provided a reinforcing frame.

66 which has an inner inclined wall 6! that forms a wedging fit with acomplementary side 68 on the movable mold frame 5B. These parts may bemaintained firmly in position by a retaining member 69 in the manner asshown in Figure 9.

After the sections have been pressed together, any suitable bindensuchas water, is applied to the colored body and a backing layer of drymaterial may be affixed to the body. The layers thus formed are thensubjected to further pressure by the head Ed in substantiallythe samemanner as previously described. .After the pressing operation, the headit is removed and the formed colored tile is withdrawn from the moldframe and allowed to set or harden. It will be understood, of course,that the binder employed will depend upon the particular character andcom.-

' position of the colored material that constitutes The collector gridinstead of being arranged to be moved away from the differently coloredmaterial may remain therein as indicated by the grid i5 (Figure 12). andbe permanently embedded when the binder and backing are applied, thusproviding an exposed surface in which the various colors constitutingthe design are separated by the ribs of the grid. These grids arepreferably made of a metal which will take a polish so that whensmoothed they will have a color that will blend with-the other colorsconstituting the tile design.

Instead of providing a plurality of measuring and guide grids forsuccessively depositing the different colored cements which go to makeup the particular designof the tile, there may be" closed so as to cutoil the other grid cells. In Figures 10 and 11 there is shown a copperplate 10 which is arranged to be associated with a collector grid H,said grid being substantially similar in construction to the grid llpreviously referred to and additionally having its upper surfaceprovided with a reduced shoulder portion 12 in which may be removablymounted the plate 10 so as to selectively and sequentially register theholes or openings 13 in the different plates with certain of the cells74 of the grid H in order to form the desired color design. The plates76,

it will be observed, are arranged to be successively positioned over thecells 14 of the grid 15 l with the individual plate openings 13 inregistry with the cells 14 into which the particular colorscorresponding to the design or pattern are deposited. After the cells Mhave been filled, the collector grid 1 I is removed and a mold frame mayJ be substituted therefor and the colored material treated in the manneras previously described.

As each of the plates 10 must be capable of being punctured to form alarge number of very small holes or cells corresponding to the num- Aber of cells in the collector grid 1|, it will be seen that it is notcommercially or practically feasible to puncture these holes bymechanical means since it would necessitate the expenditure ofconsiderable time and labor.

I therefore preferably form the holes 13 in the various plates I9 by animproved photo-engraving process. Assuming that the perforations in thecopper plate l are to be formed to reproduce the green corner designs3|, 32 and 33 as shown in Figure 3, a copy of this colored design ispainted on graph paper and brought into registry with a glass screenthat has a plurality of black lines formed by hydrofluoric acid whichetches or eats into the glass. As these lines are black or opaque, whenthe color design is superimposed or placed behind the glass, the cleardesign will appear through the white squares which are the clear glass.The squares necessary to produce the green design are then blacked outwith a water soluble paint. The copy or colored design is then removedfrom beneath the glass screen and a white background, such as whitepaper, is substituted. The glass plate is then photographed, producing anegative in which the black squares appear white, and the white squaresblack. This negative when placed over a sensitized metal plate andsubjected to light causes a positive impression of the glass screen asphotographed to be left on the plate. The metal plate 76 having beentreated with any of the known sensitizing agents and subjected to lightbeneath the above mentioned negative has printed upon it a likeness ofthe glass screen in which the various squares are identicalwhite forwhite-black for black. The white squares appearing on the sensitizedmetal plate represents those which were covered by black squares of thenegative and naturally are not affected when subjected to light. Thesebecame soluble when subjected to a chemical bath, leaving the metal bareat the white areas. The plate is then subjected to an acid treatmentwhich etches into the metal at these areas. Then the surface of theplate is subjected to a rolling process in which asphalt is applied tothe surface and the acid treatment continued. In other words, theinitial acid bath is only for a few seconds, while the second bath iscontinued until the acid eats entirely through the plates and forms themake the particular color design. Separate photo engraved plates aremade of each color design which go into the manufacture of tile, and theprocess is repeated until each of the plates has the holes 13 formedtherein to correspond in outline with its particular color design, sothat when the plates are successively placed on the grid 1| they willfill the cells with the different colored cements to form the tiledesign.

As each metal plate is treated separately for its distinctive color, somust the glass screen be treated separately for each color by blockingout the squares for each color operation. The water soluble paint isapplied so that it may be removed for each successive color.

Additionally, the plates 19 and the process for forming the openings 13therein may be associated with the guide grid 14 and the measuring gridl9 to provide means for facilitating the introduction of the blocks 26and 21 into these grids to close the cells in accordance with theparticular design being produced. In other words, the plates 10 may besuccessively treated by the process as above described, so that when thecorner portions 3!, 32, and 33 of the tile 30 are being formed, one ofthe plates 10 has openings 13 formed therein corresponding and aligningwith the cells in the measuring grid I9 that are to be blocked out sothat the open cells will form the corner designs. When the openings 13are made in the plates 70 there is introduced into these openings andtheir aligned cells any suitable substance, such as wax, alloys ormetals having a low melting point, which will solidify when cooled andwill soften when heated in order to be easily removed from the cells.This substance will form the blocks 26 and 21, thus permitting themeasuring and guide grids to have their particular cells successivelyblocked out in order to produce the desired color design of the tile.

My process may be economically and efficiently carried out bypositioning the plates l0 and the collector grid II on a movableconveyor that successively carries the collector grid past the variousmeasuring and intermediate grids in order that the different colorswhich constitute the particular design or pattern the tile is to assume,will be deposited sequentially in their respective cells in thecollector grid. The collector grid, when it passes the last of themeasuring and guide grids, will have its cells filled with thedifferently colored material and will then be transferred by theconveyor to an apparatus such as shown in Figures 8 and 9 where the gridI will be raised from the material to form the separate color sections,as indicated in Figure 2, during which operation the mold frame israised to assume the position as shown in Figure 9. The apparatus shownin Figures 8 and 9 may be mounted on a revoluble member connected to asuitable drive mechanism, which in turn, is connected to the conveyor soas to synchronize the operation of the parts and cause the tiles beingformed to be brought into proper registration with the binder, backingand pressing instrumentalities.

It is to be understood that the apparatus and method herewith shown anddescribed are merely illustrative of preferred embodiments and that suchchanges may be made as fall within the purview of one skilled in the artwithout departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of theappended claims.

I claim:

1. A color measuring and collecting apparatus for manufacturing tilescomprising a base, a collector grid mounted on the base, a measuringgrid,

lector grid mounted on the base, ameasuring grid and an intermediateguide grid associated with the collector grid so that the cells of thevarious grids are in alignment, the aligned cellsof the measuring gridbeing of less width than the cells of the intermediate grid whereby toinsure the material being delivered to the collector grid v intermediategrid cells.

- 2. A color measuring and collecting apparatus for manufacturing tilescomprising a base, a coland an intermediate guide grid associated withthe collector grid so that the cells of the various grids arein'alignment, the cells of the. measuring grid being of less width thanthe cells of the intermediate grid and the cells of the collector gridbeing of the same capacity as the measuring grid, and movable meanspositioned between the measuring grid and the guide grid forcontrollingthe delivery of the material to the collector grid.

3. A measuring and collecting device for forming vari-colored tilescomprising a base, a frame having a collector grid removably mounted onthe base, said grid being'divided by thin transverse and longitudinalpartition'members into a number of small cells of uniform size andshape, an

intermediate guide grid superposed on the collector grid, a measuringgrid positioned above said intermediate grid, a slide interposed betweenthe measuringgrid and intermediate grid for controlling the flow ofmaterial to the collector grid, the aligned cells of the grids being ofvarying widths to insure the depositing of auniform quantity of thematerial into each of the collector gridcells, said measuring andintermediate grids having certain of their cells blocked out toinsurethe desired color beingj deliveredtothe proper cells of thecollectorgrid.

l. A measuring and collecting device for forming vari colored tilescomprising a base, aframe having a collector grid removably mounted onthe base, said grid being divided by thin transverse and longitudinalpartition members into a number of small cells of uniform size andshape, an intermediate guide grid on the collector grid, a measuringgridpositioned above and supported by said intermediate grid, a slideinterposed between the measuring grid and intermediate grid forcontrolling the flow of material to the collector grid, the alignedcells of the grids being of varying widths to insure the depositing of auniform quantity of the material into each of the collector grid cells,said measuring and intermediate grids having certain of their cellsblocked out to insure the desired color being delivered to the propercells of the collector grid, the blocked cells of the intermediate gridpreventing material adhering to the slide from discharging into cells inwhich it is not intended.

5. A color measuring and collecting apparatus for forming multi-colo-redtiles including a base, a removable frame having a grid mounted on thebase, said grid being divided by thin transverse and longitudinalpartition members into a number of small cells of uniform size and shapefor receiving the differently colored material used to make up the tiledesign, a molding frame arranged to enclose the base When the removableframe and grid are withdrawn therefrom, and means for insuring thewithdrawal of the colored material from the cells of the grid when thelatter is withdrawn from the material.

6. An apparatus for making colored tiles including a base, a framehaving a grid mounted on the base and provided with small uniformlyshaped cells, means for selectively and sequen tially filling the cellswith differently colored material to produce a a predetermined tiledesign, means when the cells arefilled' for withdrawing the grid frameand grid from the base and substituting therefor a mold frame, means forforcing the separately formed sections into a com pact colored body, andmeans for pressing an applied backing to the body.

7. An apparatus for making colored tiles in cluding a base, aframehaving a grid mounted on the base and provided with small uniformlyshaped cells, means for selectively and sequentially filling the cellswith differently colored'ma-j terial to produce a predetermined tiledesign, means when the cells are filled for withdrawing the grid frameand grid from the base and substituting therefor a. mold frame, andmeans for uniting the separately formed sections into a compact coloredbody.

8. An apparatus for forming vari-colored tiles comprising a stand forreceiving a removable collector grid and base, means when the grid ismounted on the stand for removing the grid from the base andsubstituting a molding frame therefor, and means for removing anymaterial collected on the grid when it is withdrawn from the base.

9. An apparatus for forming vari-colored tiles comprising a stand forreceiving a removable collector grid and base, means when the grid ismounted on the stand for removing the grid from the base andsubstituting a molding frame therefor, means for removing any materialcollected on the grid when it is withdrawn from the base,

'rneans for forcing the sections of the material on the base into acompact body, and means for pressing an applied backing to the body,

10. An apparatus for making vari-colored tiles including a stand forreceiving a mold bottom and collector grid, a mold frame associated withthe stand and arranged to move the collector grid from the material andform the side walls of the mold, and means for actuating said moldframe.

11. An apparatus for making colored tiles including a base, a removableframe having a grid mounted on the base and provided with smalluniformly shaped cells, means for filling the cells with differentlycolored material to produce a predetermined tile design, a mold frameassociated with the grid, means for causing the mold frame to withdrawthe grid from the base and leave the separate colored sections thereon,said mold frame enclosing the material when the grid is removed, andmeans for pressing the separately formed sections into a colored body.

12. An apparatus for making colored tiles including a base, a removableframe having a grid mounted on the base and provided with smalluniformly shaped cells, means for filling the cells with differentlycolored material to produce a predetermined tile design, a mold framepositioned beneath the grid, means for causing the mold frame towithdraw the grid from the base and leave the separate colored sectionsthereon, said mold frame enclosing the material when the grid isremoved, and means for pressing the separately formed sections into acolored body.

13. An apparatus for making colored tiles including a base, a removableframe having a grid mounted on the base and provided with smalluniformly shaped cells, means for filling the cells with differentlycolored material to produce a predetermined tile design, a mold frameassociated with the grid, means for causing the mold frame to withdrawthe grid from the base and leave the separate colored sections thereon,said mold frame enclosing the material when the grid is removed, meansfor removing any material collected in the grid when the latter iswithdrawn from the base, and means for pressing the separately formedsections into a colored body.

14. A measuring and collecting device for forming vari-colored tilescomprising a base, a frame having a collector grid removably mounted onthe base, said grid being divided by thin, transverse and longitudinalpartition members into a number of small cells of uniform size andshape, an intermediate guide grid superposed on the collector grid, ameasuring grid positioned above said intermediate grid, and means forcontrolling the flow of material to the collector grid.

15. A measuring and collecting device for forming vari-colored tilescomprising a base, a frame having a collector grid removably mounted onthe base, said grid being divided by thin, transverse and longitudinalpartition members into a number of small cells of uniform size andshape, an intermediate guide grid superposed on the collector grid, ameasuring grid positioned above said intermediate grid, and a slideinterposed between the measuring grid and intermediate grid forcontrolling the flow of material to the collector grid.

16. A measuring and collecting device for forming vari-colored tilescomprising a base, a frame having a collector grid removably mounted onthe base, said grid being divided by thin transverse and longitudinalpartition members into a number of small cells of uniform size andshape, an intermediate guide grid superposed on the collector grid, ameasuring grid positioned above and supported by said intermediate grid,a slide interposed between the measuring grid and intermediate grid forcontrolling the flow of material" to the collector grid, said measuringand intermediate grids having certain of their cells blocked out toinsure the desired color being delivered to the proper cells of thecollector grid.

17 A measuring and collecting device for forming vari-coloredtiles-comprising a collector grid, and a measuring grid, said gridshaving aligned cells, said measuring grid having certain of its cellsclosed by removable means to insure the desired color being delivered tothe proper cells of the collector grid, said removable means permittingthe use of the measuring grid for forming other colored designs.

18. A measuring and collecting device for form ing vari-colored tilescomprising a collector grid, an intermediate guide grid, and a'measuringgrid above said intermediate grid, said grids having aligned cells, saidintermediate grid having certain of its cells closed by removable meansto insure the desired color being delivered to the proper cells of thecollector grid, said removable means permitting the use of theintermediate grid for forming other colored designs.

19. A measuring and collecting device for forming vari-colored tilescomprising a collector grid, an intermediate guide grid, and a measuringgrid above said intermediate grid, said measuring and intermediate gridshaving certain of their cells closed by removable means to insure thedesired color being delivered to the proper cells of the collector grid,said removable means permitting the use of the measuring andintermediate grids for forming other colored designs.

20. In an apparatus for forming varicolored tiles including a stand, acollector grid removably mounted on the stand, a mold frame surroundingthe stand, and means for causing the mold frame to withdraw thecollector grid from the stand and be substituted therefor.

RALPH S. BOLTON.

